[Dixielandjazz] The Fascinating Preacher Rollo

[DnBoy152 at aol.com]

I have  enjoyed the posts on Preacher Rollo Laylan.  
 
I took private drum lessons from a Fred Link, in the late '40's and he was  
at that time a Vet student at Notre Dame University.  He had studied with  
Rollo for quite some time when he was a beginning drummer.  We never  discussed 
Rollo that much, I was just aware of him playing with Whitman in the  late '30's 
and his Preacher Rollo and His Saints band.  And certainly aware  of Link's 
interest in Traditional jazz and that style of drumming, he was a very  
demanding teacher, rudiments, lots of practice pad work before the set gets  used, 
etc.  It was this teacher that got me started on a lifetime love of  this music.
 
I have one of Laylans records,  MGM 10" LP's , number E95 titled  Dixieland 
Favorites.
 
I also have Jazzology JCD-51 Compact Disc of airshots of the Saints.   As is 
often the case George Buck does not include broadcast dates.  From  Jepsen and 
the personnel listed they would have been between 1951 and 1953 I  think.
 
The CD notes state that Rollo was born in Leona, WI 1-4-07 and died at the  
age of 90 in FL on 8-27-96.  The notes also include more information on his  
career.
 
If anyone would want copies of the notes or other info, just let me know on  
or off list.
 
Don Boyer
South Bend, IN